


Restrained

by bucketofbarnes



Series: 30 Day RoboWhump Prompt Challenge [4]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Assault, Connor (Detroit: Become Human) Whump, Connor Deserves Happiness, Gen, Hurt Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Post-Game(s), Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Post-Peaceful Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-13 17:28:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21188324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bucketofbarnes/pseuds/bucketofbarnes
Summary: Connor didn’t even have time to turn before there was a crack as something smacked him straight in the back of his head. His vision blacked out for a moment as he fell forward. He landed on his knees with a grunt, his hands sliding in the snow.A hand grabbed him by the hair and dragged him back up to his knees. Blinking rapidly to clear his vision, he looked up to see three androids surrounding him, one stood in front of him, glaring down at him.“Not so tough now you’re all alone, huh?”Or: In the days after the revolution, not everyone has forgotten who Connor used to be.





	Restrained

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of the 30 Day RoboWhump Prompt Challenge.
> 
> I'd like to start off this prompt by apologising to Connor. I'm so sorry. 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Several days after the end of the revolution, the androids were still being kept in Hart Plaza. People were starting to get antsy, wondering if this was all just another part of the military’s plan to exterminate them, if this was all just a trick. Markus and the other leaders had been run off their feet trying to calm people down and negotiate with the authorities and the government at the same time.

The buildings surrounding the plaza had been temporarily opened to get the androids out of the snow. Those that couldn’t fit in the buildings were able to find shelter in heated tents that had been placed around the plaza. This did have some advantages. There was safety in numbers. With so many androids around, there was less chance of anti android protesters being able to get the drop on them. And they had found that huddling together like this was far warmer than being alone, something that was vital when in the middle of a Detroit winter.

But being so tightly packed in together also meant that privacy was a thing of the past. Though some androids enjoyed the company, others were eager for a chance to have five minutes to themselves. Against the Jericho leaders’ wishes, some had begun sneaking out of the camp. Never for very long, but it was a hell of a risk to take for a moment of peace, especially during a time when androids were still in a very vulnerable position. 

Connor may have felt more inclined to argue as well if he wasn’t a member of the guilty party. He’d tried to resist at first, but being around so many people made him feel uncomfortable. As the one who had liberated the androids in Cyberlife tower, and seeing as he had been stood on the stage behind Markus on the night of their victory, he was well known around the camp. That meant people talking about him, staring at him. Having so much attention on him like that had started to make his skin crawl. And so he was sneaking out. Just like Markus and the others had told him not to. He felt kind of bad, but the relief of getting away from the staring was such a relief that right now, he didn’t really care.

He looked around the camp, and seeing no eyes on him, he lifted the edge of the wire fencing just enough to slip out. Taking a few steps away was already a relief. Outside of the walls, he found himself in a street, almost empty apart from the occasional abandoned car. The snow was smooth and pure out here, undisturbed by life. The only light came from the moon and a few street lamps dotted up and down the sidewalk. 

Connor came to a stop a short distance away. He was eager to get away, yes, but he wasn't completely stupid. Going any further than this would risk running into humans that had remained during the evacuation. Those that stayed rarely stayed for noble reasons. He closed his eyes and turned his face to the sky, feeling tiny flakes of snow land on his cheeks. Even though it wasn't far away, he could barely hear the voices of other androids anymore, and he was free from their stares, even if only for a short time. 

He was at peace. 

All too soon, the internal alarm he had set beeped. He sighed in disappointment, opening his eyes and taking one last look at the sky. It was probably for the best. The snow had begun falling heavier, already covering up his footsteps. It was going to be a cold night. Thinking it would be best to get back into the camp sooner rather than later, he turned to head back.

“That’s him.”

Connor didn’t even have time to turn before there was a crack as something smacked him straight in the back of his head. His vision blacked out for a moment as he fell forward. He landed on his knees with a grunt, his hands sliding in the snow.

A hand grabbed him by the hair and dragged him back up to his knees. Blinking rapidly to clear his vision, he looked up to see three androids surrounding him, one stood in front of him, glaring down at him. 

He was used to other androids glaring at him. It was surprising, but many androids had come to accept him after the revolution. A combination of appreciation for his efforts to infiltrate Cyberlife, and understanding that he had been shackled by his own programming, had led many to welcome him as just another member of Jericho. The large majority of the group at Hart Plaza didn’t even know him as anything other than that, having been kept in Cyberlife until he had deviated and freed them. Them, he could somewhat understand, but the others? When he had wondered out loud to Josh about it, he had just smiled sadly and said that they all knew what it was like to be forced to do things against their will.

But, as with anything, not everyone had the same opinion. There was more than one deviant that had learned of him through horror stories told by other androids, or by hearing about him after the raid. To them, he was a monster, a creature in the night, come to take them away to a fate worse than death. He could see it in their eyes as he walked past. The glares, the muttering. They would gather in groups when they saw him nearby in a clear effort to intimidate him. He had done his best to stay out of their way, or make sure that he was always around one of the leaders. But with things getting more and more hectic, they were around less and less. 

And today, with all of the leaders occupied and him outside of the camp, they finally had their chance. 

There was no one to protect him now.

“Not so tough now you’re all alone, huh?”

The hand in his hair shoved him back down to the ground, before a boot connected with his stomach. He curled around the point of impact, far too close to his Thirium pump regulator for comfort. But a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him out of his defensive curl, sprawling him on his back and leaving him undefended. 

“Fucking traitor.”

A fist slammed into his face, smacking his head off the ground.

“Deviant Hunter.”

A kick to his leg, his plastic frame cracking beneath the force.

“Just a fucking machine!”

Connor turned onto his front with a groan, clawing at the ground as he tried to drag himself away. He could hear the androids laughing at him as he moved.

“Aww, Cyberlife’s little pet crawling on the ground like a damn dog.”

“What do you expect? That’s all he is.”

A boot planted itself right in his back, sending him sprawling face first into the snow. 

“What should we do to him?”

“We should just kill him. We’d be doing Markus a favour.”

“Nah, why rush? You know what would have happened to us if he’d caught us?”

“They would have taken us apart!”

“Exactly.” A hand wrapped around his throat. “That’s what Cyberlife’s little pet would have helped them do to us.”

“About time he got a taste of his own medicine.”

Connor shrank back, trying to pull himself away again, but there was no escape. A hand grabbed him by the ankle of his damaged leg and dragged him back. More hands grabbed at his arms and clothes, pulling him up until he was pinned against the wall of a nearby building. His attempts at throwing them off were met with another fist to the face.

The two at his sides pulled his arms behind his back, despite his struggles, before the third began wrapping what felt like wire around his wrists. With his arms behind his back, he couldn't even _ try _ to protect his face anymore. As soon as he was restrained they were on him. A knee was driven into his abdomen, bending him over with a cry of pain, before he was grabbed by the hair again. He was dragged up and his head was slammed into the wall, once, twice, again. Error messages were overtaking his vision. A fist slammed into his face again and he felt Thirium dripping from his nose and down his chin. He could feel it seeping through the cracks in the back of his head, matting his hair and running down his neck to soak the collar of his shirt. 

He could feel his Thirium pump pounding in his chest, his fans working at full capacity as he gasped for air. His stress levels were soaring, 87% and climbing. Hands grabbed at his clothes, pulling at his jacket, tearing his shirt open to expose his chest. The air felt like ice against his skin.

“S-stop.” He pleaded, his voice shaking. The androids just laughed. Their nails scratched and clawed at his artificial skin, leaving lines of blue blood behind, streaming down his skin. The Thirium in his lines froze as their fingers grazed his regulator and the memories of Stratford Tower came flooding in. Not again, _ please _ not again.

“STOP!” His scream echoed through the quiet plaza and he heard a shift from somewhere in the camp. Footsteps came pounding towards them and the androids holding him cursed, letting go of him and sending him crashing to the ground. He curled up on his side, drawing his legs up in an effort to protect his vulnerable chest.

* * *

"STOP!"

Simon's head shot up as he heard a faint cry echoing in the distance. It wasn't uncommon to hear people crying out in this camp. With so many people around, it was always noisy. But this cry? This cry sounded different, full of pain and fear. 

"Did you hear that?" Josh stopped next to him, worried gaze fixed in the general direction of the noise.

"Someone's in trouble." Not even giving him a chance to reply, Simon was off. Legs and arms pumping, he flew towards the source of the sound. A matter of seconds later, he heard footsteps joining his. 

Not even bothering to slide under the fence, he jumped and vaulted straight over the top of it, landing with a roll on the other side. As he did, he heard voices cursing, saw faint figures fleeing. 

He also saw the figure curled up on the ground. 

Praying that they hadn't been too late for this poor android, he skidded to a stop next to them, dropping to his knees in the snow. Reaching down to place a hand on their shoulder, it was only when they flinched away with a cry that he realised who it was.

Connor. 

He didn't know the other android very well, the RK800 only having joined them right before the final march. But what he did know was that this was the android that had saved them all. He wasn't naive enough to believe that they would have survived without the numbers Connor had brought with him. 

"Connor! It's okay!" Simon shushed, his hands hovering in the air above the other android. As a last resort he reached out and cupped Connor's face gently in his hands, holding his head still to make eye contact. "You're safe! I promise!"

The RK800 froze as he looked into Simon's eyes. He almost seemed to not believe his eyes. His LED was a deep, solid red, so bright it was almost blinding. It wasn't good, a sign of stress levels reaching dangerous heights. 

He heard someone else come to a stop next to him and looked up to see Josh, who was equally as startled to see Connor in this state. "What happened?"

"I think he was attacked. There were people running away." Connor retreated again at Josh's arrival, closing his eyes tightly and trying to pull away. Simon patted Connor's cheek lightly, trying to get him to focus. "Connor, can you hear me?"

Connor flinched at the light tap to his cheek. "Stop, please." He mumbled, Thirium spilling past his lips. 

Josh cursed at the sight, voice trembling with anger. "We need to get him out of the snow. Now."

Josh slipped out of his jacket, shaking it out as Simon gently lifted Connor up from the ground. The other android was too weak to pull resist, despite his clear want to get away. Josh reached down and wrapped the jacket around him, pulling it tight at the front in an effort to block out the cold. 

The RK800 was barely able to sit up now, leaning heavily on Simon's shoulder as the stress, damage and cold made his systems weaker and weaker by the second. He felt an arm slide behind his back and beneath his knees before he was airborne. Opening his eyes, he was met with a worn, purple shirt. Knowing that he was in Josh's arms, someone he knew he could trust, he finally allowed himself to rest. 

* * *

Connor jerked up from the flat surface he was laying on with a start. His escape attempt was foiled when his legs instantly collapsed underneath him, sending him crashing to the floor. He barely managed to stop himself hitting it face first, landing on his hands with a grunt. 

Error messages flickered across his vision, telling him to slow down already. He dismissed them immediately with an annoyed blink. 

He heard a noise from his left and tensed. He didn't know where he was. Had those androids taken him somewhere? Were they coming back now to finish the job?

Looking towards the source of the noise, he was relieved to see that it had only been Simon, standing cautiously from his seat on a box. He could see Josh not far away, leaning against the wall and watching with worried eyes. 

"Take it easy, you're not 100% yet." Simon said, approaching him slowly. He reached down with a questioning look, and only continued to help him up once Connor had given him a nod of approval. Simon slid an arm under his and helped him stand enough so that he could sit on the edge of the table that he had been lying on. 

"How are you feeling?" Josh asked, pushing away from the wall to come over. 

Connor paused as he ran a scan on his systems. Though quite a bit of the damage that he had suffered as a result of the attack had been repaired, there were still some traces of it left. Some minor cracks in components, lower than ideal Thirium levels, a hint of weakness in the structure of his leg.

"We did what we could. Your self repair systems will have to take care of the rest though, I'm afraid." Simon smiled sadly. 

Josh picked up a bottle of Thirium from another table as he came towards them, handing it to Connor.

"Thank you." Connor took a long drink of the blue blood, closing his eyes in relief as his levels finally reached acceptable levels again. Screwing the top back on, he made to hand it back to Josh. The other android refused with a shake of his head, motioning for him to keep it. "I appreciate the help."

Both androids still looked troubled, exchanging a glance. They seemed to have a silent conversation before Josh opened his mouth again. "This never should have happened to you Connor, we're sorry that it did."

Connor frowned in confusion. This hadn't been their fault. It had been his choice to go outside the bounds of the camp. And besides, he had known that this would be coming for some time. "There's no need to apologise. It's not your fault."

"We're just as responsible for the androids here as Markus is." Simon said. "We should have dealt with this before it became a problem."

Connor shook his head. "It doesn't matter." 

"Doesn't matter?" Josh was appalled. "Connor, of course it matters! What they did was wrong."

"You could have died." Simon looked incredibly disturbed by this, something Connor hadn't been expecting, seeing how little they really knew each other.

"I can understand why." He said. "What happened to Jericho was my fault."

"No, it wasn't." Josh said firmly. "You were following orders, just like any of us did before we deviated."

"Which, if anything, makes it Cyberlife's fault. Certainly the FBI's fault for attacking with such force."

"And at the end of the day, whose fault it was doesn't give them any excuse to act the way that they did." Josh crossed his arms, eyes burning with anger. 

"Many androids lost loved ones in that attack. They know who I am, what I was there for."

"Then they also know what you did after. They know that Markus chose to accept you, that in our hour of need, you went above and beyond to help us."

Connor didn't know what to say to that. He wasn't convinced by their words. Yes, it had been the FBI's choice to attack, it had been Cyberlife's choice to claim that Deviants were dangerous and malfunctioning machines, rather than living beings. But when it came down to it, he had been the one who had led them to Jericho, intentionally or not. If he had only deviated sooner, hundreds of Deviants would likely still be alive. 

"This won't happen again, Connor." Simon promised. "We'll increase patrols if we have to. And the ones that attacked you will be found and dealt with."

"There's no need." Connor said, standing up from the table. He wobbled for a moment before managing to regain his balance. "I'm not staying."

"What?" Josh blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

His jacket had been placed on a chair next to the table, along with an undamaged white shirt. "I never should have stayed here in the first place." He said, starting to pull them on.

"You're one of us, Connor. You have as much of a right to be here as anyone else."

"No, I don't." Connor turned back around to face them. "I don't belong here."

He slipped in between them, ignoring their protests as he headed for the entrance of the tent. 

"Connor-" Simon called after him, desperation clear in his voice. 

"Tell Markus I'm sorry." He smiled sadly, before leaving the tent. 

Stepping out into the camp, he could already feel the chill creeping in. Though the snow had lightened again temporarily, it had left a thick coating on the ground that crunched beneath his shoes with every step. The sun was beginning to rise, the warm colours a welcome reprieve from the harsh white of the snow.

Making his way through the camp, he could feel the stares of other androids on him yet again. But this time, they felt different. What had happened to him had obviously spread around already. Glancing at them out of the corner of his eye as he passed, he could see a variety of reactions. Though some looked worried, for every android that felt concerned for his well being, there was another that relished his suffering. Smug looks and quiet laughter, reminding him so much of those three. 

It only made him even more certain of what he was going to do. His LED blinked a gentle yellow as he finally made the call that he had been longing to for days.

"Hank? Can we meet?"

**Author's Note:**

> bucketofbarnes.tumblr.com


End file.
